Shoppers support charities

Kate Mason

Generous shoppers at Meadowhall helped raise nearly £11,000 for charities across the UK by supporting local bands and buskers over the festive period.

Bluebell Wood Children’s Hospice, The Royal British Legion and Help for Heroes are among the charities who will be receiving the funds pledged by kind-hearted customers who for the second year in a row have donated to musical acts that helped create a festive atmosphere on the malls.

The Yorkshire Band of the Royal British Legion helped raise the most money in one day bringing in a huge £1,400 on December 22, one of the busiest shopping days of the year for the Centre.

Meadowhall Centre Director, Darren Pearce said: “We’d like to say a huge thank you to all the bands and artists who came along and performed throughout the Christmas period, without them and the generosity from our shoppers this wouldn’t have been possible.”

In total, nine acts participated in the ‘Buskers on the Malls’ campaign, which saw Blu-Crew, The Salvation Army, Barnsley Brass Band, Brass Lincs, Christmas Brass, Rotherham Town Brass Band, The Music Academy, and Meltham Band alongside the The Yorkshire Band of the Royal British Legion.

“We are committed to supporting the local community,” added Darren. “Whether that be inviting local bands to come along to the Centre and provide entertainment or raising money for charities across the country. We have a calendar packed full of fundraising events lined up over the next year, and hope to do an even better job than in 2014.”

Every year, Meadowhall pledges commitment to a Charity of the Year, 2014 saw them raise thousands of pounds for St Luke’s Hospice, which cares for the terminally ill. Meadowhall Shopping Centre and its partners took on a variety of challenges and fundraising initiatives last year such as the Yorkshire Three Peaks and the world record attempt Jumperthon in order to help raise these funds.